Genesis Power chief executive Murray Jackson told EnergyReview.Net that with commission clearance Genesis was now free to continue integrating the 95,000 or so NGC customers into the Genesis system, including offering them the advantages of the duel-fuel program.

This offered further efficiencies through the single invoicing of electricity and gas bills to customers who chose Genesis for both fuels.

It would also mean further penetration of gas into new and existing reticulated regions.

As part of the takeover of NGC retail customers, Genesis had also signed a five-year gas supply contract with NGC.

Last year Genesis bought NGC's electricity customers after the corporation's disastrous foray into electricity retailing, with it being exposed to cripplingly high spot power prices during the cold, dry 2001 winter.

NGC has also announced its divestment timetable for selling its electricity generation assets.

Most interest is expected to be in NGC's thermal plants - the 374MW Taranaki Combined Cycle gas-fired station at Stratford, Taranaki, and its 50% stake in the smaller 118MW Southdown station in south Auckland. Indicative bidding will start in November, with bids closing on December 31.

Jackson said Genesis would be interested in both TCC and Southdown and would be evaluating both plants and the economics of those stations providing "embedded" power to Genesis customers in the Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu regions, for the TCC plant, and the greater Auckland area for Southdown.

NGC last month said it was selling its electricity generation assets, except for its 50% stake in the small Kapuni cogeneration plant, and its retail gas business to concentrate its core gas transmission and distribution business.